Once Cold. Блейк Пирс

handsome ex-husband a couple of times, and the man’s arrogance had put him off. Besides that, he had to admit, he was hoping that Riley was free of romantic relationships.

      But he felt also guilty for reacting that way.

      The game quickly started again. Both April and Crystal were playing well, and Blaine and Riley cheered from time to time.

      But through it all, Blaine kept thinking about the last time he’d seen Riley. It was soon after he returned home from the hospital. He’d knocked on her door to tell her that he and Crystal were moving away. Blaine had given Riley a lame excuse. He’d said that the townhouse was too far from the restaurant that he owned and managed.

      He’d also tried to make it sound like the move was no big deal.

      “It’ll be like nothing has changed,” he’d told her.

      It wasn’t true, of course, and Riley hadn’t bought it.

      She’d been visibly displeased.

      This seemed like as good a time as any to broach the subject.

      In a hesitant voice, he said, “Listen, Riley, I’m sorry about how things were the last time I saw you. When I told you we were moving, I mean. I wasn’t at my best.”

      “No need to explain anything,” Riley said.

      But Blaine felt very differently.

      He said, “Look, I think we both know the reason Crystal and I moved.”

      Riley shrugged.

      “Yeah,” Riley said. “You were scared for your daughter’s safety. I don’t blame you, Blaine. I really don’t. You were only being sensible.”

      Blaine didn’t know what to say. Riley was right, of course. He’d been scared for Crystal’s safety, not his own. He was also scared for Crystal’s mental well-being. Blaine’s ex-wife, Phoebe, was an abusive alcoholic, and Crystal was still dealing with the emotional scars of that relationship. She didn’t need any new traumas in her life.

      Riley knew all about Phoebe. She’d actually rescued Crystal from one of Phoebe’s drunken rages.

      Maybe she really does understand, he thought.

      But he couldn’t tell how she really felt.

      Just then, their daughters’ team scored another goal. Blaine and Riley clapped and cheered. They watched the game in silence for a few moments.

      Then Riley said, “Blaine, I admit I was disappointed with you when you moved. Maybe even a little angry. I was wrong. It wasn’t fair of me. I’m sorry about what happened.”

      She paused, then continued.

      “I felt terrible about what happened to you. And guilty. I still do. Blaine, I – ”

      For a moment, she seemed to struggle with her thoughts and feelings.

      “I can’t help but feel that I bring danger to everyone who crosses my path. I hate that about my job. I hate that about myself.”

      Blaine started to object.

      “Riley, you mustn’t – ”

      Riley stopped him.

      “It’s true, and we both know it. If I were my neighbor, I’d want to move too. At least, as long as I had a teenager in the house.”

      At that moment, a play went wrong for their daughters’ team. Blaine and Riley groaned along with the rest of the home crowd.

      Blaine was starting to feel somewhat reassured. Riley sincerely didn’t seem to hold his moving against him – at least not anymore.

      Could they reawaken the interest they once had for each other?

      Blaine gathered up his nerve and said, “Riley, I’d love to treat you and your kids to a dinner at my restaurant. You can bring Gabriela too. She and I could swap Central American recipes.”

      Riley sat quietly for a moment. She looked almost as if she hadn’t heard.

      Finally she said, “I don’t think so, Blaine. Things are just too complicated right now. Thanks for asking, though.”

      Blaine felt a pang of disappointment. Not only was Riley turning him down, but she didn’t seem to be leaving any future possibilities open.

      But there was nothing to be done about it.

      He watched the rest of the game with Riley in silence.

*

      Riley was still thinking about Blaine over dinner that evening. She wondered if maybe she’d made a mistake. Maybe she should have accepted his invitation. She liked him and missed him.

      He’d even invited Gabriela, which was sweet. As a restaurateur, he had appreciated Gabriela’s cooking in the past.

      And Gabriela had made a typically delicious Guatemalan meal tonight – chicken in onion sauce. The girls were enjoying it and chattering about this afternoon’s soccer victory.

      “Why didn’t you come to the game, Gabriela?” April asked.

      “You’d have enjoyed it,” Jilly said.

      “Sí, I enjoy the futbol,” Gabriela said. “Next time I will come.”

      This seemed to Riley like a good time to mention something.

      “I’ve got good news,” she said. “I talked to my Realtor today, and she thinks that selling your grandfather’s cabin should bring in quite a bit of money. It should really help with college plans – for both of you.”

      The girls were pleased and talked about that for a while. But soon Jilly’s mood seemed to darken.

      Finally Jilly asked Riley, “Who was that guy at the game with you?”

      April said, “Oh, that was Blaine. He used to be our neighbor. He’s Crystal’s dad. You’ve met her.”

      Jilly ate in sullen silence for a few moments.

      Then she said, “Where’s Ryan? Why wasn’t he at the game?”

      Riley gulped anxiously. She’d noticed earlier that Ryan had come to the house during the day to take his things. It was time to tell the girls the truth.

      “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell everybody,” she began.

      But she had trouble finding the right words.

      “Ryan … says he needs some space. He’s – ”

      She couldn’t bring herself to say more. She could see by the girls’ faces that she didn’t need to. They understood all too well what she meant.

      After a few seconds of silence, Jilly burst into tears and fled the room, hurrying upstairs. April quickly followed to console her.

      Riley realized that April was accustomed to Ryan’s on and off attentions. These disappointments must still hurt, but she could handle them better than Jilly could.

      Sitting at the table with only Gabriela, Riley started feeling guilty. Was she completely incapable of maintaining a serious relationship with a man?

      As if reading her thoughts, Gabriela said, “Stop blaming yourself. It is not your fault. Ryan is a fool.”

      Riley smiled sadly.

      “Thanks, Gabriela,” she said.

      It was exactly what she needed to hear.

      Then Gabriela added, “The girls need a father figure. But not someone who will come and go like that.”

      “I know,” Riley said.

*

      Later that evening, Riley looked in on the girls. Jilly was in April’s room, silently doing homework.

      April looked up and said, “We’re OK, Mom.”

      Riley felt a flood of relief. As sad as she felt for both girls, she was proud that April was comforting Jilly.

      “Thank you, sweetheart,”